Good Will Parking

The parking situation at work is crazy, I had to hunt for a spot passing several fully stocked racks. If only this scenario were more common place perhaps Nashville would have better alternative transportation options. But for now I'll just be pleased to see that my bike is still there when I come out from work.


I got to ride in to the Tap Room after work last night for a "I got a paycheck last week" celebration. I shared a table with an older gentleman named Al who was full of interesting and funny stories dating back to 1912 in Nashville while I waited for the group to arrive. He was going to have to cook dinner and eat by himself (wife has passed on) so I invited him to join us for dinner, but when one of his sons showed up, he respectfully declined and left our slowly growing group.

By the time he was leaving, I was surrounded by 3 loverly ladies at the table and he stopped by to tell me that my numbers were improving and perhaps he should rethink the dinner invitation. Gotta love old people. He's an OG beer and bike guy, dating all the way back to the end of the Korean War.

Oh, and no Petre, the blog doesn't die, it remains regularly irregular, just as my work schedule is shaping up to be. Besides, I lose a lot of home computer time supplying (shilling) parts to unsuspecting Fixie Frank and Hipster Harry's on campus to feed the next generation Empiricals. Can't have them growing old living off the land like Dick.

Stayin' Alive, Stayin' Alive

60 degrees and foggy at sunrise, about 20 minutes into my commute

Made the stay alives today. Amazing. Not being familiar with many of the few roads available on my newest stay alive, I was kind of leary/slightly dreading portions of it. Mostly due to the very limited options to get across the Cumberland. Busy roads, sketchy areas, and deadly intersections cover the more widely used routes.

I stumbled upon a potentially different route that appeared might work out but the roads were completely foreign to me. A few emails back and forth with the EastSide Curmudgeonly Commuter (thanks D!) and a route was locked in. 23.4 miles is what Google Maps tells me. About 6 miles longer than I had wanted (to keep it at about an hour commute), but I must say this is the best route in to work I've ever had, even when I had a measly 12 mile one. The roads are quiet, wide shouldered, and scenic. There is about a block of sketch (which I refer to as Nocturne Alley) and the rest is smile inducing roll.

Plenty of climbs to wake the legs up on the start, in fact the first 12 miles is along some of my favorite local roads to ride, then the remaining miles feel short as the most I'm on any single road from there on is 3.8 miles, making it feel quicker. One hour and 30 minutes on the commutes. If I could drop about 3-4 miles I could probably dial it closer to an hour, but I'll take the longer time over super busy death roads any day.

Ri'Chard's on the left corner. The one light town of Whites Creek sleeps in as I roll through.

All in all it was a great day, the commutes and the job. Happy Days. Especially when you come home and get greeted by the hyper exuberant Monkey.

JD, growing like Monkey Grass

Misfit Cod Cog, the other black cog

I upped the gearing from my normal 42x18 to 42x17, putting the COD into Commuter. Which I hear is good at keeping ShortHillBillys at bay. Va-room!

Washed Out Not Up

Since H. works all weekend (12hr night shifts), I figured I'd forgo a solo biking adventure today and spend some time out with the pups giving H. some quiet sleepy time. Plus my new commute/work schedule leaves me with limited time at home and with the puppy. The new 45+ mile round trip stay alive* will allow for plenty of solo ride time and I'm thinking if I deprive myself of ride time over the weekend I'll be more amped to bike commute every day. So I loaded the pups up into the truck and headed off, windows down, into the sunny blue warmth of the day. Destination: the not so secret/secret swimming hole.

* copyright: The Perceptive Billy Boy

It was a bit on the muggy warmish side driving in with the windows down, but a cooler wind began to waft in as I approached Springfield. As did darker, more sky filling clouds and flashes of lightening. Then, finally, a solid downpour from the sky. Hmmm... well pups, maybe we won't get out to swim after all.


Of course, we were heading out with the primary objective to be getting wet so what's a little rain to stop the party? We parked and jogged to the trail head only to find that the river had swelled from the recent downpour and our path was completely submerged. The grounds crew have also recently whacked down all the tall scrub grass and weeds too, really opening up the view.


So we continued our jog along the path until we found the hobbit tree. The hobbit tree holds another secret swimming hole farther up the river and it's bank was still above water. Dish headed in to swim with JD hot on his heals, repeating the surprised submerging maneuver of last weekend, only this time JD shook it off and continued to tromp along behind the big dog.


Several offers for cookouts from friends today, but my window of opportunity is short when H. works. H. time is also severely limited throughout the week and I have 4:30p-5:45p to cram in 2 days worth of hang time. So, friends, please don't take offense to my no show. I appreciate the offers and wish it could have worked out, but timing, travel, and chores (dinner prep for H., barn duties, laundry, mending dog fence, hauling recycling, etc...) shifted priorities. I'm so glad tomorrow is a holiday... it'll help in the catching up the behind department.

Oh, and gRant, I will return your call oh master of the calling when I'm away from the phone.

Don't worry, it'll hold together (come on baby hold together)

Monster returned my loaned out rear brake yesterday allowing me to finish building up the commuter. Battered, buckled, and backward mullet-ted Johnny Black Death Cash is reborn sporting the reverse silver/black rim combo of my Moots. Someday I'll have a matching set built up. Maybe with some Mavic 819-26" tubeless Rims?

Cleansing...

More germs than a Canardian Empire

Friday was a different type of day at work. Rather than learning all the new technologies, running sims, and setting up for the next sims, I got to work at my workstation completing additions to a database system for the center. Whenever I start on a new (used) computer, I like to start fresh... and clean. Pay no attention to my idiosyncrasies - such as constant hand washing, parking in the same spot where no drivers side doors can contact it, my rain suit for wet weather walking, facing all the syringes label up and point out, or counting the left foot steps of the 22 sets of stairs in the parking garage.

"97x bam the future of rock and roll"

After a nice quiet day of learning and doing, I was off and running for the three day weekend.

Off and sitting!

Then again, maybe not. At least Tuesday my commuter bike should be ready to roll for the 26 mile stay alive* in and the 23 mile stay alive* home (slightly different route available on the home side).

* copyright: Billy the Wonder Where?


Despite chances for rain to hit, JD and I awoke to a gorgeous sunrise inviting us to seize the day. Since the Monkey doesn't know what a weekend is, we stayed on routine and were up to enjoy breakfast and bowel movements at 5:45am before packing for the days ride. (Like I mentioned before, pay no attention to my idiosyncrasies).

Ah Colorado why do you tempt me so...

Surfing some sites while enjoying a cup of coffee led me to some extra riding inspiration via MikeSee. We don't quite have the rocky mountains but we do have blue sky and clouds.

Hydration for me and the Monkey.

The Monkey prefers the taste of stainless steel kept water while I just can't get enough bpa.

Some energy bars for the Monkey

And some for me... mmm caramel season

A little extra awesome

I like to pack a little extra Awesome when I ride one of the local trails where I normally run into some folks new to off road cycling. Today though, OldGreg and Monster would be out and they could use all the extra Awesome available. In fact, had Monster used his Awesome Strap instead of the saddle sore of a bag perhaps he would have avoided his digger? Get Awesome!

(If you read this and see me out, ask and maybe I'll have a little extra Awesome to share)

The Monkey ready and waiting

out and abooots on the Moots

The Monster seen out enjoying one of the local trails, kinda like capturing footage of a sasquatch.

Is that an 8Ball bike?

For the second time in 2 weekends, another walking out with a flat rider was aided by my Awesomeness allowing me to carry 2 tubes. This rider was fixed up with a 26" tube into his 29" wheel. Not sure why 8Ball has such issues getting that to work, mine went in fine. I'm hoping all this good trail karma keeps the flats at bay on my commute. We'll see. Usually Karma just likes to bite you in the arse when you aren't looking.

Prepping for Cross Season

The shortening days, the cooling temps, the foggy mornings, the Tanner riding the tricross around the trail, all signs that point to the looming cross season. Beer and deli meat with a side of cross documentary is the best method of easing into the next leg of the year long cycling season.

Brief Weekly Highlights

My Lucky Locker

• I got a locker to store clothing in which helps when bike commuting
• I was able to eat lunch 3 days this week!
  
• t.roy answered the kingdom call and was able to press in my headset for the commuter
• t.roy has a killer Amber on tap at West L.A.B.
• The Monkey pup has synced his schedule with mine, allowing for full night sleeps
• Dish's foot is healed up nicely and he's back to active duty, instead of inactivity duty
• A 3 day weekend approaches which should give me some ride and build time
• oh... and I got paid!!

King-dom Come, thy headset will be done...

My kingdom for a headset press! (Warning: Actual kingdom consists of a Tinkertoy Ferris wheel, a Lego building with stairs that go no where, and a couple Lincoln log cabins).

Sitting in traffic on the way home, after turning off of a sitting in traffic thorough-go-no-where-fare only to sit in more traffic once the traffic started moving staring at a check engine light mocking* me, had me daydreaming of the copacetic delectation of bike commuting. Such a wide shoulder meandering into the hills far, far away from the idling iron coffins of doom. But alas, I need a headset press. That's the only thing preventing me from finishing building up a commutercycle.

I have decided against riding my only mtb as a commuter due to:

• it having to live outside in the elements (not inside the element)
• no windows at work to see said outside in the elements bike
• it would break the bank big time to have to replace the bike if something happened
• too many expensive components too easily removable from the bike
• the thought of a carbon fork mingling and knocking about others frightens me
  
• it would break the bank big time to have to replace the bike if something happened
• friends scared me with tales of horror and bike thefts
• it would break the bank big time to have to replace the bike if something happened
• loss of it could be detrimental to my health

The conundrum: Work has me unable to get to a bike shop before closing hours and the closest local shop doesn't do wrench work on Saturdays. Drats, if only I had some opportunity to win a small wheeled Canardian bike-a-cycle!

So, until I can get the headset issue resolved, call me "Sits in traffic".

* check engine light is for a random misfire that I took the car back two times last week for the dealer to fix. Twice they had it overnight. Twice they said it was nothing, yet here it is, staring at me, mocking me, drawing my eyes with its amber shine down and to the left, down and to the left, down and to the left...

Missing The Sun

The Monkey taking a break at L4

Wishing I were out there enjoying the fantastic weather and not locked in a dark, windowless 10 hour days. Then again the happenings in the dark, windowless hall sure are fun. Looking forward to card access and a set schedule to balance life around. Blog posts, such as this, will suffer in the interim. Send all complaints to Mike Piazza C/O Team Dicky dot bloggy dot blog. For now it's a few minutes of roughhouse time with the monkey then off to work.